SOUTH HOLLAND, IL -- Michele Hoskins has had to overcome obstacles to launch her business, grow her business and maintain her business Michele Foods, Inc. As a woman, African American, single mother and on welfare when she started it people might be surprised that she would have been around in business a year after she launched it much less 30 years later.
Michele Hoskins has faced and handled issues.
She faced obstacles that would have caused someone else to give up or never even try. Michele knew and knows she has a great product, Michele's Syrups, as she had grown up on it, her Mother had grown up on it and the syrup is her grandmothers's recipe.
Michele likes to say "I am the real Aunt Jemima."
Michele's syrup really is an African American recipe and product. It is the only African American owned syrup company ever.
Charmin K Edwards speaks at churches and entrepreneurial events.
She speaks on how we spend our money determines who and what we empower.
Charmin: "We hear that small businesses and even more so minority owned and even more so woman owned businesses bring jobs and money into the community. When we choose to buy products from small businesses, and in the case of Michele's Syrups a small business founded and owned by an African American woman, we empower small businesses everywhere including right in the community we live in. The community prospers."
Charmin goes on to say "Money is not just power it is empowering to who and what we spend our money on. When we think of it that way then we begin to realize how important conscious buying/spending is."
Michele's Syrups is a great example.
"The word is out and spreading through Black churches from Black ministers to the community to buy products from African American owned companies. The communities are responding to the message. Michele overcame many obstacles but the one she did not plan on was the success of the more then century old Aunt Jemima marketing campaign. It is marketing magic."
"When the message is delivered to empower our communities, entrepreneurs and show our young people they can be successful entrepreneurs as well the message must be specific. It needs to include what products and where to buy them."
Michele's syrup is the only African American owned syrup company.
"It is on the shelves in Kroger's, Publix and online from the Michele Foods website. If you don't see it then asks the manager for it. That is how we do it. That is what we teach our children. That inspiration may mean, in the years to come, we will be at the store buying products from companies founded by young people in the audience today."
"Too often the focus has been on being against something. The problem with that is, when the issue goes away, then what. This is all about being for something. We can be the example for anyone as we build our communities with our entrepreneurs and businesses. We are buying for something not against something. The way out of our community problems is by being in with our community. When one small business does better it spreads. Start now, today, right here in Atlanta by buying to empower our small businesses like Michele's Syrups."
Sales of Michele's Syrup is on the rise as the message is passed on nationwide. This is how small businesses have grown in the past and grow today.
The story starts here. It comes to life when it is passed on...
Michele Foods, Inc
16117 LaSalle St
South Holland, IL 60473
7083317453
michele@michelefoods.com
http://www.michelefoods.com
Posted By: Siebra Muhammad
Tuesday, October 15th 2013 at 7:22PM
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